What all the screeching morons fail to recognize is that his Right to Freedom of Speech was not impinged upon one bit. He was not jailed for what he said. He wasn't even fired, he was suspended. Most likely so his contract can be reviewed to determine whether he has violated it. Sure, you can say any homophobic, racist crap you want. That doesn't mean you don't have to face consequences. Especially if your employer feels they will lose money (sponsors) due your your filthy mouth and you signed a contract which prohibited such behavior.

My take on this - teacher asked a classroom if anyone knew what the answer to what the square root of nine was. Little Johnny says "it's fucking 3!" and gets suspended for his answer. Is little Johnny's answer right or is the teacher right for suspending for the way he went about saying his answer?

I see this like how a teacher/principal suspends a child for inappropriate behavior or in this case saying something inappropriate in front of others that many might provoke or even encourage the other kids (adults) to say the same things and/or not treat others with the same dignity and respect because of those spoken words about other groups of kids. Do we really want to condone and say it’s ok for other kids (grown adults) to speak this way about other groups of people, especially when currently those groups don’t have the same equal human rights as others from a political point of view?

In other words, I get freedom of speech but tend to view this as the parents (fans of the show and the family) siding with the child (grown man in this case) and punishing the teacher (A&E) for trying to make sure the classroom of America is treated fairly and with respect and dignity – for all.

I don’t understand how this is a big news worthy story. It is a show about a family of rednecks. One of them said something very redneck and no one sees this coming? Holy crap that redneck said something offensive about gays! Unbelievable! The Duck Dynasty characters are all representatives of A&E. If they say something that A&E is against and doesn’t want that anti gay stamp they have every right to fire Phil Robinson. Just ask Hank Williams Jr and the NFL about it. Hank Williams hasn’t been ready for some football since he compared Obama to Hitler in some interview.

I think the news worthy story is the reaction of the American people who support Pat Robinson. Watching Duck Dynasty is more important than bigotry.

I like the Duck Dynasty show and feel he is entitled to his opinion. However he went the route of comparing homosexuality to bestiality and basically said it was whorish. He has a right of Freedom of Speech yeah, but A&E also has the right to say that isn’t what are brand of tv.

My cynical side wonders if it was all a publicity stunt from the beginning.

I hear you...It almost seems like everything these days is some sort of publicity stunt...It's hard to even trust the news too...You really have to do some serious fact checking these days to see through the spin...If it wasn't for NOVA, Frontline, 60 minutes, and The Big Bang Theory...I could probably trash my TV.

I don’t know... He said some messed up things. A&E didn’t want that to represent their channel and what would it look like if they did nothing? At the same time A&E don’t want to get rid of the most popular reality show on tv. So it makes since to suspend him rather than fire him and then let it slide. So action was taken by A&E against the bigoted reality show person but the show goes on and people continue to make money. It hurts my brain to read comments on Facebook or other news sites about this. It literally causes physical pain. It makes me lose faith in the future of America because America is full of Americans. A million some people joined two stand beside Phil Facebook pages. All in an attempt to protect his First Amendment rights. People even posted pictures of the Constitution and asked "I guess this means nothing anymore?" Yet the government has taken no action against Phil... So... what are they talking about?Also what about the First Amendment for Martin Bashir? Saying Sarah Palin should eat shit is not a protected right? You know from the Government that didn’t arrest him or even mention anything about it?

Or..

Maybe only Christians should have the First Amendment protection. Because they are a persecuted people here in the US who are not allowed to talk openly about their faith. Because Merica is a Christian Nation full of an oppressed majority! Democracy sucks we want a theocracy! We think... Hail Jesus! Phil for president! Obama had something to do with this!

I am saddened, humiliated, and furious to admit that several of my cousins joined the "phil and all christians are oppressed" club. I almost unfriended the whole lot of them.

I'm pretty sure my cousin, my fundy great-aunt, my ex-brother & sister-in-law that I keep in touch with (in spite of their openly gay son) and a couple other of my fb friends are all in the "free Phil" club. They do have other qualities I admire but some of their posts just want me to comment a giant WTF?????

edit - I mean they support Phil in spite of their gay son, not that I keep in touch with them in spite of their gay son, I keep in touch with them in spite of his dickhead sociopath brother.

« Last Edit: December 22, 2013, 12:19:51 PM by LoriPinkAngel »

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It doesn't make sense to let go of something you've had for so long. But it also doesn't make sense to hold on when there's actually nothing there.

I am saddened, humiliated, and furious to admit that several of my cousins joined the "phil and all christians are oppressed" club. I almost unfriended the whole lot of them.

It's truly sad! If individuals are jumping on board the all Christians are oppressed club how is it not an attempt to keep bigotry alive in the US? If they are not concerned for whatever reason about the First Amendment or A&E (the all powerful entity) then how is their statement nothing more than "Religious people are allowed to be bigoted, racist, and homophobic?" Then raise their millionaire kids to be bigoted so the cycle continues to pump out d bags. The world is a better place if we all don’t respect each other and continue to not tolerate those different than us.I find it baffling. By this logic they should be fine with radical Islam chanting death to America and enacting Shria law here in the States. Cuz that’s their religion, they were raised that way. Or at least my simple everyday blasphemy.

I am saddened, humiliated, and furious to admit that several of my cousins joined the "phil and all christians are oppressed" club. I almost unfriended the whole lot of them.

I was irritated by the whole "First Amendment rights" shouting contest that many shouted (even some atheists) when this had nothing at all to do with the First Amendment. Then I was really annoyed when many claimed that the liberal leftists were hypocritical. I just love categorical name-calling.

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John 14:2 :: In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.